Protection for wildfire-prone areas to be considered in siting new wind turbines under Rep. Barnard’s bill

New bipartisan legislation would require a comprehensive evaluation of the impacts on wildland firefighting before permitting new wind turbines.

Republican Representative Stephanie Barnard of Pasco is concerned about tall wind turbines getting in the way of aerial firefighting efforts. She says it was a close call during a wildfire that burned on the edge of a hillside neighborhood in the summer of 2023.

“A DC-10 came in, dropped the retardant, and that is what saved those homes. What would happen if there were 700-foot turbines up on top of those hills? And really that’s the problem.”

Barnard says indirect impacts of a new wind or solar farm on efforts to fight wildfires have not always been studied.

“How are we going to get aerial firefighters into the areas where they need to drop the suppressant if there’s a no-fly zone due to those obstacles. We’ve got to have that mapped out – that planned out, so that lives and property and livestock can all be protected.”

Under Barnard’s bill, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would have to determine if a turbine facility would impact the ability to fight wildfires with helicopters and airplanes.

House Bill 2117 passed the House Environment and Energy Committee on Tuesday.

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